Concerning 9.8a

[F50]

Here is my experience with 9,8a.

This is a very easy release compared to 9.7. This perception is in part due to some strategies that existed in 9.7 but that I never used and should have. This is mostly talking about using the invincible deflector for much of mid-game.

The beginning game has not changed much though this time around I did get lucky with an S500 in the first system.

Mid-game has too, has remained much the same as 9.7 but with the bonus of weapon/shield upgrades.

I have two gripes with mid-game however:

1. Frags are overpowered.

2. The BM should universally reject docking instead of Lord Mikeno slaughtering you (even if they wouldn't at least you should be able to tell your computer to declare war upon or reject docking acceptance from the BM).

That brings us to late-game, which has changed significantly.

I like the new Ares lineup and the fact that Centurion X ships are more common. I wish that the CW (and therefore the rouge fleet) had a ship that used the heavy-NAMI.

Teratons, specifically regarding Ares Lightning Cannons and Ares Arch Cannons, are too easily (ab)used.

I like the Ferrian Warship Mod. I hope that when it is more developed that it (excluding the playership) will be included with the main release.

Point Juno has become too easy IMO, I don't know how to make it harder but I walked all over it (more than I should have, that is), an Ares Dreadnought defending the commetfalls and an attack mission or two could spice things up but that is off topic. The teratons pay too much for them IMO as the Ares launcher doesn't have enough ammo for them to be useful.

Though this is true of the heavy NAMI, Mayakev, (the stations have been somewhat pushed out by the other stations and Thors and Adventurer Outfiters) and MAG launchers, the Ares Launcher doesn't look like it was even meant to be used. I will make a new launcher thread to think on this more when I have more time to think about it...

Last thing to say is that Lamplighter is a bit too powerful as compared to the QAC. I would prefer it if the QAC was the more powerful version and Lamplighter was the ammoless version. Basically I am asking that their damage values switch.

Thanks George for the excellent game.

[OddBob]

This is mostly talking about using the invincible deflector for much of mid-game.

Could you elaborate on this? I don't understand.

2. The BM should universally reject docking instead of Lord Mikeno slaughtering you (even if they wouldn't at least you should be able to tell your computer to declare war upon or reject docking acceptance from the BM).

Do you feel the same way about Corporate Stations, the Commonwealth and Ringers? All of these stations exhibit the same behavior (end of game upon docking). In addition, the Black Market is the only sovereign you can pay off - how are you going to pay them off if you can't dock?

[Burzmali]

2. The BM should universally reject docking instead of Lord Mikeno slaughtering you (even if they wouldn't at least you should be able to tell your computer to declare war upon or reject docking acceptance from the BM).

Do you feel the same way about Corporate Stations, the Commonwealth and Ringers? All of these stations exhibit the same behavior (end of game upon docking). In addition, the Black Market is the only sovereign you can pay off - how are you going to pay them off if you can't dock?

He is angry that the game holds it against him when he chooses to exploit it. The ease with which friendly stations can be destroyed has to have a counterbalance.

[george moromisato]

Here is my experience with 9,8a....

Thank you very much! These kinds of walkthroughs are very useful to me.

[(name here)]

Juno was no different in this version for me except for the Europa mission. The antartica was equiped with the heavy NAMI, as was the Terra and the Aquila. I think the Aquila should show up more often.

I like the new Ares lineup and the fact that Centurion X ships are more common

How are the centurion X ships more common? is it only in the escort missions and defending talkion ventures?

Last thing to say is that Lamplighter is a bit too powerful as compared to the QAC.

It is much easier to get a QAC than the lamplighter. In my recent game, I had 6 Longzu spheres and 3 QACs. I had to respawn to get the lamplighter, after a long and hard trek to fleet captain. My only gripe is how you can destroy the antartica by getting the fleet to attack and sitting it out. What makes it a real problem is that it is impossible to destroy it in a frontal attack, because of the armor and the nami launcher.

[Yugi]

My only gripe is how you can destroy the antartica by getting the fleet to attack and sitting it out. What makes it a real problem is that it is impossible to destroy it in a frontal attack, because of the armor and the nami launcher.

It's called strategy - you trick them into thinking you're joining them then call in the troops

However, I have tried several times to save the Antarctita, both with godmodding and without, and have failed miserably.

[F50]

The invincible deflector can withstand an amasing amount of partilce damage as well as is the best VI or quite possibly even VII (the plasma is VIII right?) shield for taking out Dwarg Masters.

The mamoth shield can take more damage but you have to wait a real-time minute on autopilot (with lots of background fuel use) for you to take on the next 3-5 Dwarg Masters.


I just find the game's current way of punishing the player somewhat cheap. I feel that I should get increasingly powerful bounty hunters after me and those stations (esp. ringers) should shoot at me on sight and refuse my docking requests.

And you can't pay off the BM if you blow up a BM station/shipyard as far as I know, you just get killed because you are too dangerous.

1. BM
A couple molotoks spaced out for first station destroyed. Then large fleets of Molotoks (the rewards from blowing them up cease to be important). Then ships mounted with VI equipment which never remains intact (you still get the same rewards as the molotoks). Then ships mounted with VII equipment. As currently, this only happens when stations or wreaks of stations belonging to the BM are present in the system.

2. CW
Depeding on offense (CW res, CW station, CW settlement etc.):

Centurions
Centurion Xs
More Xs with a Aur--I forget, the transport, armed with missiles (no equipment other than armor and fuel intact).
Finally all CSCs (with both thier fleets and reinforcements) move to intercept you at the stargates (same scorched earth loot thing).

3. Ringers

Centurions X's and Centurions w/ Ares (ringer?) Archcannons and heavy shields in numbers according to crime.


Centurion Xs are more common because I think you see some around CSCs as well as the rouge fleet. The CSCs should really have a missileship with them as well.

EDIT: Just a thought:

The other soverigns should adjust sale price higher (sometimes the BM should lower perahps) if you hurt a soverign that is "bad for buisness" or "bad for politics".

[OddBob]

Now I'm all for stronger punishments TO A POINT*. However, you're not addressing the docking issue. Why do you want them to refuse docking?

It sounds like Burzmali is right - you think it's annoying to die when you forgot that you angered them. To be honest, you shouldn't have docked then. It's the same as with illegals - if you forgot you had them, tough luck. If the player is foolish enough to dock with a station who is his enemy, then he should pay the consequences.

*You may or may not have reached this point - I don't want it to ever become not an option to anger a soverign. Some games 'allow' you to do this and then there is a punishment that's not even close to being worth it (I.e. an infinite amount of the strongest enemy in game immediately rushes in).

Abouts the invincible: it trades a lower level for the EMP effect when it goes down - this is basically akin to a death sentence - anything that takes it down can probably handle your armor, and sustain may or may not last long enough.

[F50]

I want them to refuse docking if they would kill you if you docked because then you die regardless of your ship's status (shields etc)

When a station is marked as GREEN on my radar it is very easy to forget it = ENEMY. My last game only had one death and that was due to the BM instakill (I hadn't bought my seccond insurance yet).

I find that any time I lose my shields with the invincible I have at least 70hp (usually 100+) to go through. Sustain is almost always enough to get your enemies behind you so you aren't taking half as much punishment, and you can dodge all but the cydocysts but by them you are usually 100+ ls away. Of course, I am a wolfen pilot exclusively so...

Speaking of which, what does defend an avenge do?

According to my suggestions above, any char with a military ROM can take a first BM station, Ringers shouldn't be a problem for the first one or two for a character who can manage to take on the station itself. CW will spell death anyways for a chan who hasn't made the ringers their lifelong friends (and then even most of the CSCs shouldn't be a problem)

[goat not sheep]

DO you know what i find weird? When i fought CSC antartica, I went up close and they didn't fire their heavy launchers... so it died and got destroyed by my iocrym repeller. Also, CSC terra should be easier to find, like near a planet. I had to use a system map ROM to find it, all the way at the edge of the system.